The invention generally relates to systems and methods for detecting volcanic ash clouds, volcanic plumes and/or volcanic eruptions from airborne platforms.
It has been observed that aircraft encounters with surprise volcanic eruptions can be catastrophic for the aircraft. The airline industry spends millions of dollars each year contending with volcanic ash from a detection and warning standpoint and a repair cost standpoint. Conventional volcanic ash detection systems provide warnings once a dangerous volcanic condition has been detected yet a reporting gap exists, whereby an aircraft may not have enough time to change its flight path.
Conventionally methods and systems exist for detecting volcanic ash and volcanic eruptions. For example, satellite imaging may be used for detection, however it has the shortcomings of time delay and it may be affected by cloud cover. Ground based measuring devices which are situated on, in, and/or near some volcanoes may provide the required information, however not all known active volcanoes are being monitored. Thus, a system of this type is subject to availability of the requisite data. Another conventional system may utilize ground based weather radar. However, the availability of ground based weather radar is not universal and the accuracy with which the sole use of ground based weather radar to determine volcanic activity, is not high. Conventionally pilot reports of observed volcanic activity may also be used, however this data is unreliable because it is subject to observations which may not occur at all or in a timely manner.
The issue of detecting volcanic activity is worldwide. There are roughly 10,000 volcanic cones (locations) world wide. Of those 10,000 volcanic cones, more than 1,000 are known to be currently active. The Northern Pacific alone contends with 3-4 eruptions a year. Many of the 1,000 known active cones are not ground based monitored. Even on those cones that are monitored, information on those monitored volcanic eruptions may often be delayed.
It has been observed that explosive eruptions can produce lightning. Further, it has been observed that the majority of lightning produced by these eruptions have a positive polarity while a majority of convective weather generated lightning has a negative polarity. Also, it has been observed that large eruptions can produce radar echoes and volcanic ash clouds may be picked up on weather radar. Thus the lightning produced early in the eruption cycle where current warning systems may fail, is both detectable and can be differentiated from lightning produced by weather. However, utilization of these methods has deficiencies when applied to the aircraft/airborne hazard avoidance problem.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved volcanic ash, volcanic plume, and/or volcanic eruption detection system which provides an indication of a potentially hazardous volcanic ash cloud in a timely manner to an aircraft during or before flight. Use of these techniques before flight suggests ground-based systems based on the same methods as well as airborne operation.
The techniques herein below extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned needs.